The United Nation's food aid arm -the World Food Programme (WFP) Pakistan- has started emergency operation for distribution of food in the rains and snowfall-affected areas of NWFP free of cost. The unprecedented winter rains and excessive snowfall is a major reason of disaster, especially, in the mountainous belt of the province. Avalanches and collapses of houses occurred in the mountainous region of NWFP, which have badly affected about 13,000 families.
The main objective of the free food assistance is to save the lives of the affected people, which have limited means to get food from the market as they have lost the assets and livelihood resources. The WFP' s food assistance will supplement the food supply in the affected areas.
In this regard, the first convey of WFP food relief has been dispatched to the affected areas of NWFP carrying 520 MT of wheat flour and 65 MT of vegetable oil for 13,000 affected families, with a free basic ration of wheat flour at the rate of 40 kg and vegetable oil at the rate of 5 kg per family for one month (March 2005).
The main areas, which are badly affected include Kohistan, Swat, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Chitral, Batgram and Shangla. Currently, the operation will be for one month and WFP plans to extend the operation for another three months depending on the availability of resources.
This emergency operation in NWFP will be implemented through International Rescue Committee (IRC) with assistance and support from communities and elected bodies of district governments in the distribution of food commodities in order to ensure the food is reaching to the right people. Similarly, WFP staff will monitor food distribution process as well.
NWFP Relief Commissioner Ghulam Farooq and WFP-Peshawar Head of sub office Salim Akhtar were also present on the occasion, said a release of WFP.